New chief of Washington State Ferries named: Now head of Pierce Transit

Lynne Griffith will become the new chief of the state’s troubled ferry system.

Griffith has extensive experience in the transportation industry, but none in the maritime industry.

She is now the CEO of Pierce Transit. She has held that post since 2006. In July, she said that she would retire from the Pierce Transit job at the end of 2014.

State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson made the announcement Wednesday morning as she appointed Griffith assistant secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division.

Griffith, who will be the first woman to hold the job, begins her new post next month.

“I am very pleased Lynne is joining the WSDOT team and I want to thank Captain George Capacci for serving in the interim role,” Peterson said in a statement. “Our ferry system is an iconic symbol of the state of Washington and a vital link in our statewide transportation system. It will be in good hands with Assistant Secretary Griffith.”

In addition to heading Pierce Transit, Griffith headed C-TRAN in Clark County from 2000 to 2006 and managed bus and specialized transportation for people with disabilities at MARTA in Atlanta. She has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington.

The state Transportation Department also said Peterson has sent a memo to Gov. Jay Inslee with “short- and long-term considerations to move the (ferry) division forward under Griffith’s leadership.”

The DOT did not offer more details on that memo.

The state ferry system has made embarrassing headlines in recent weeks:

David Mosley retired as head of the ferry system in April. Interim chief Capacci decided that he didn’t want the job permanent. And Peterson decided that she didn’t want the other finalist for the job, former Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg. So Peterson reopened the hiring process in June.